The military applications of firing projectiles are well known, such as firing grenades, firing radar deflecting chaff and missile decoy packages. In military applications such as firing grenades, each cartridge case carries a projectile assembly containing a single grenade. Accordingly the relatively slow rate of delivery of grenades provides a significant constraint on the applications or utility of the equipment.
This invention has particular application to projectiles which are fired from a barrel assembly having a plurality of projectiles arranged in-line within the barrel and which are associated with discrete selectively ignitable propellant charges for propelling the projectiles sequentially through the muzzle of the barrel. Sealing engagement is provided between projectiles and barrel so as to prevent rearward travel of an ignited propellant charge to the trailing propellant charge. Such barrel assemblies will be referred to hereinafter as of the type described. Such arrangements are illustrated in our earlier International Patent Applications.
Barrels assemblies of the type described have the disadvantage that significant time may be required to position them for firing on a selected target. This set-up time may be unsuitable for applications where time is of the essence, such as for setting up defences.